Firewood Cord Calculator
How much of a full cord your firewood stack is, in cords and face cords, from its dimensions.
How it works
volume = length × height × (log length ÷ 12) · full cords = volume ÷ 128 · face cords = (length × height) ÷ 32
A full cord is defined by volume: 128 cubic feet, the amount in a tidy 4 × 4 × 8 ft stack. Your stack’s volume is its face (length × height) times its depth, which equals the log length. Dividing by 128 gives the share of a full cord; the face-cord figure compares just the 8 × 4 ft face, which is why a face cord of 16-inch logs is only a third of a full cord.
Worked example
A stack 8 ft long and 4 ft high of 16-inch logs is 8 × 4 × 1.33 = 42.7 cu ft. That’s 42.7 ÷ 128 = 0.33 of a full cord — or one face cord, since its 8 × 4 ft face matches the standard.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly is a face cord?
A face cord (also called a rick or rack) is a stack 8 ft long by 4 ft high, but only one log deep. With 16-inch logs that’s about a third of a full cord; with 24-inch logs it’s half. Because the depth varies, “face cord” alone doesn’t tell you the volume — the log length does.
Why does log length matter so much?
The face dimensions can be identical while the depth — the log length — doubles the wood. A face cord of 24-inch logs holds 50% more than one of 16-inch logs, so paying the same price for either is a big difference in actual firewood.
How can I check I got a full cord?
Stack it neatly and measure: length × height × depth in feet should reach 128 cubic feet (for example 4 × 4 × 8, or 2 × 4 × 16). A loosely thrown pile looks bigger than it measures — restack before judging.
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This calculator is for educational purposes. Double-check important results before acting on them.